In
1702, Lord Asano of Akô was provoked by Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka into drawing his sword in the
shogun’s palace, for which he was forced to take his own life, and his estate
was confiscated.Forty-seven of Lord
Asano’s retainers, who were now rônin
(samurai without masters), planned,
and carried out a successful attack on Kira’s palace.Kira’s head was cut off with the same dagger
Lord Asano used to commit seppuku.(The term “hara-kiri”, although more common in English than “seppuku”, is considered in Japan to be a
vulgar and disrespectful description of an honorable act.).The 46 surviving rônin were forced to take their own lives.These events were made into the play, Kanadehon Chûshingura.

Series:
Mirror of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshingiyûkagami,
忠臣義勇鑑)

Robinson:
206

Date: 11th
month of 1852

Publisher:
Kakumoto-yaKinjirô

Actor:
Nakamura Kanemon IV

Role: TakebayashiSadashichiTakashige (武林貞七隆重)

Series: Mirror
of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshingiyûkagami,
忠臣義勇鑑)

Robinson:
206

Date: 11th
month of 1852

Publisher:
Kakumoto-yaKinjirô

Actor: Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII

Role: OtakaGengoTadao
(大鷹伝吾忠雄)

Series: Mirror
of the Loyal Courage of the Faithful Retainers (Chûshingiyûkagami,
忠臣義勇鑑)